


Cycles can be broken

by Webtrinsic



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Anxiety, Attempted Kidnapping, Broken Bones, Broken Families, Dad!Tony, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, First Meetings, Howard Stark Lives, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Precious Peter Parker, Son!Peter, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-05 23:23:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17334323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Webtrinsic/pseuds/Webtrinsic
Summary: Howard Stark hadn't been a good parent, and Tony always knew he wouldn't be a good grandparent either. But you better believe he would never let that man ruin his son. The same way he'd ruined him.





	Cycles can be broken

**Author's Note:**

> Surprised I've never seen this done with Howard before so I had to do it, also there's that scene in Lilo and Stitch when she gets out of the car and Idk why that stood out to me but it did, almost also went with the scene from nanny McPhee where he chases the coach he thought the daughter was in. IDK why those scenes stand out to me, but they do so here you go!

Tony Stark loved his son with all of his heart, so much so he obviously wanted the boy to grow up knowing his grandparent’s. He and his father may not get along, and he may not want his son anywhere near Howard but he couldn’t just do that. Especially since his mother had been enamored at the thought of a grandchild.  Said grandchild sat on the soft rug, brightly colored plastic shapes surrounded him as he forced the same shapes though the containers matching ones. The one year old giggled once he got all the little shapes in.

Big eyes looking up at him with obvious enjoyment, the elder Stark smiled back before getting onto his knees and grabbing the box, “You wanna do that again?”  

“Daddy,” the little one murmured, crawling into his lap and snuggling under his chin with a yawn.

“Tired huh? Why don’t I set you down, and by the time grandma and grandpa get here you’ll be up?” There was no real answer other than a few sleepy murmurs against his throat. Tony picked himself up from the floor, pressing little kisses to the soft hair that bordered on curls as they headed back to younger Stark’s rooms.

Soft grabby hands tried to latch onto his tie as he set him down, his doe eyes blinking slowly and heavily until they shut completely. The Avenger pulled the blanket up over the boy, before calling his mother. 

“Hi sweetheart, we’re only an hour out. I can’t wait to finally meet my grandson,” He smiled at her tone. 

“I just put him down for a nap, so by the time you get here he may still be asleep but I’ll be feeding him and you two can play,” Tony explained, looking down at the soft sleeping body. Leaning down a soft kiss was pressed to the boy’s hair before he started dimming the lights and heading to the kitchen.

He knew to wait to put the food out, yet he couldn’t help but feel apprehension. He’d kept them apart for a year, he’d been so afraid of the things Howard would say. Peter not having a mother, him not being a capable parent, he still knew he was coming along with some aggression from keeping them apart as well. But Tony couldn’t keep them apart forever, making his way to the medicine cabinet Tony took some anxiety medication knowing he’d need it.

When they arrived his mother hugged him tightly and he couldn’t help but hug back just as tight, her soft hands held his face as she kissed his cheek.

“Hello sweetheart, I missed you at christmas,” She hummed sadly, Tony gave a melancholy smile in turn.

“I missed you too, but the Avengers decided on us staying here,” Howard stepped forward, going for a handshake which Tony returned and let them in.

“There’s food on the counter, I’ll go get Peter,” Tony tried to excuse himself but the two followed along.

“Oh everything here looks wonderful, I can’t wait to see his room,” His mother chirped, and Tony gently opened the door to let her in the boy’s room. Watching the two’s reaction, where in an example of clockwork a little yawn escaped and Peter eyes fluttered open.

The billionaire turned toward his father who was inspecting the room, while his mother gently approached the crib. Ignoring as Howard traced the wall where it was painted to look as if he were immersed in the clouds. Tony went beside his mother, quietly letting down the side ramp as to make sure it didn’t upset the still tired boy.

“Hi baby, it’s time you meet grandma and grandpa,” Tony smiled as the boy gurgled another ‘daddy’ falling from the boy’s lips as he lifted him up and into his arms. The boy’s little fist came up to rub his eyes, before trying to paw gently at his father's face. Tony smiled, giving small kisses to his cheeks, letting the little one reciprocate as he always did.

“He’s so beautiful Tony,” his mother cooed, Tony easing the little one into his mother’s arms. The woman inhaled, eyes tearing up as held him before she actually did start crying. Tony was quick to put a hand on his mother's shoulder, stepping close enough so Peter knew he was there incase he was confused at the random person holding him.

Howard decided to come forward at that, his hand falling to his wife’s hip. Tony nearly recoiled at that, not used to his father ever offering anything as close to comfort as he was now.

“So this is the who’s going to carry on the Stark legacy,” Howard spoke, and Tony nodded wishing he’d said anything else. Again all the man could think about is the name, the company, anything else beside the person itself.

“Yeah, Pete’s going do great things,” Tony spoke, watching as his son looked up at his mother a little sad. Mainly because she was crying, and that made him upset too. Peter had always been so empathetic, it’d helped him that past year more so than he’d admit to anyone else.

“We’ll be happy to take care of him when you’re busy,” His mother offered, hiccuping lightly as she smiled down at the boy and bounced him slightly to try to get the small innocently pouty face to go away.

“I’ll let you know, but Pepper normally steps in,” Tony excused, he wouldn’t mind his mom watching the boy but Howard...that was a different story.

“At least he has some stability,” The comment earned Howard a swat to the chest from Maria before she looked up at her son.

“Don’t mind him, we were just afraid he’d be alone when you have to go off as Iron-Man,” Tony nodded, he did understand that but knew it wasn’t what his father meant. Holding back his anger and taking a breath, Tony watched as his mother picked one of the bears from the dresser and offered it to the boy.

Peter accepted, petting the bear as if it were a cat or dog. Tony huffed a laugh, remembering when he bought the bear and fake growled trying to play but Peter didn’t reciprocate to a rambunctious bear. Far happier with petting it and trying to make it hug him.

“He’s so small,” Maria couldn’t help but comment, Peter was a little thin and Tony could already tell by the time the baby fat came off, Peter would be rather lean. He’d talked with his nutritionist and they’d said he was fine, as long as he kept up the recommended food intake there shouldn’t be too much of a problem. But the comment made Howard look the child up and down, Tony’s jaw clenched at the action.

“Is he healthy?” Howard finally spoke, looking to Tony almost accusingly.

“Yes,” the word came out flat, “Talked with a nutritionist and everything, he’s alright just a little on the small side,”

“Then again so are you,” Howard returned, Tony knew he was a little short compared to others in his field but he did work to fill out his form. He’d had his suits tailored to his arms a few times, not that he wanted to gloat.

“Why don’t we head back to the kitchen? It’s time for Peter’s lunch,” Tony urged, trying to change the subject. Maria walked off to the kitchen with Peter, the two men in tow as she settled the youngest Stark in the high chair and took the seat beside it.

Still entertaining him with the bear as Tony got the food out, Howard picked though the food. Picking the apple sauce, cheese cubes, and some whole grain crackers with chocolate milk; Tony handed them over to his mother.

He wasn’t sure if Peter would actually let her help him with the applesauce since Peter may be rather docile and calm but he wasn’t entirely comfortable with others. It’d taken most of the one year olds life to get him accustomed to Happy, Pepper and Rhodey and even then Peter still tried to keep some distance. But if Tony was sure of anything, it was the sun rose and set with him and he also hung the little boy’s moon. Peter adored him, considering the jealousy that he displayed when others showed him attention it was apparent.

“He likes the cheese,” Maria hummed, watching the small child munch with his small amount of teeth on the cut cubes.

“I’ve changed enough diapers to know that,” Tony laughed, watching with soft eyes as Peter swallowed and reached for his sippy cup. Tony’s attention was drawn back to his father as he noticed his father jotting things down on the refrigerators notepad.

“Babysitters, emergency pediatricians, good butlers,” the man said as an explanation, in a way it was nice but the reasoning wasn’t. He could take care of his son, he had to. The day those eyes looked up at him, so loving and full of life. He knew he’d destroy worlds, move mountains and drain seas just for the small fragile boy.

“Thank you,” Tony sighed, knowing this day would be long. When Peter had been fed, burped, changed and entertained, Peter had somehow ended up in Howards arms as they sat on the couch. Tony watched the seen tersely, making sure to stay close as Peter sat still. Tony didn’t quite enjoy how closed off Peter looked, normally Peter was still, which he was but Tony knew those eyes were closed off.

At least until their eyes met and they shined, cooes falling from the boy’s lips, “Daddy!”

“Hi baby,” Tony returned, a bright smile on his face as he shifted a little closer to hold the boy’s hand. Peter giggled, hugging to his father’s hand with a smile.

“I never want to leave you two,” His mother spoke up, giving a kiss to Peter’s cheek, “But it’s getting late,”

“You could spend the night, leave in the morning,” Tony offered out of politeness. But Howard shook his head.

“No it will be easier to sleep at home, I know how babies are in the night. Plus me and a few old colleagues are going to play golf,” Howard explained, lifting the youngest Stark and handing him over the Avenger. Peter seemed pleased, trying to place kisses against his father’s goatee as he settled him. Tony reciprocated with a smooch to the temple as he followed the pair to the door. Giving Howard another firm shake of the hand, and his mom a hug; Peter got a hug and a kiss too.

“I love you,” Tony hummed, along with his mother. 

\---

“Tony he’s a mess,” Howard bit, referring to the thirteen-year-old Stark who Tony had no idea where he was. And his temples were throbbing because of it, he needed to know where his son was.

“A mess? Because he’s scared when the paparazzi randomly tried to crowd him? He was afraid, I did everything I could to keep him away from those fucking vultures, and you tried throwing him at them!”

“We run a business-”

“No, I do. It’s not yours anymore, I tore your weapons down and got a fucking modified heart because of it. Peter may be a little on the shy side-”

“A little, Tony you order his food half the time you go out to eat,” Howard retorted, his arms crossed and the same demeaning scowl painting his face. The inventor wanted to punch that damn face and stop that awful look.

“So what?” Tony’s chest heaved with his words, brow tight as he struggled not to activate his suit.

“He needs to learn to get out, which is why he’s going to be staying with me and your mother,” 

“You are not taking my child!” Tony shouted, suit crawling up his arm but Howard didn’t seem concerned.

“Yes I am, you can’t and haven’t been taking care of him!”

“Me? I am not able to take care of him?” the laugh he let out was pitiful, “Do you know what you did to me? You were only there to dish out punishments the help were too scared too, you didn’t raise me. You conditioned me into-”

“Someone deserving of the company,” Howard tried to finalize. 

“It’s not your company anymore and if Peter doesn’t want it I’m not going to force him to take it! He’s not some project like I was, he’s my kid and I will not let you turn him into what you made me. I will not let him feel like he’s not loved, or he can’t come to me when he needs it. I won’t let him get lost to the drunks and god damn parties just so he could feel something other than utter hatred for himself,” 

\---

Peter sat in the car, tears streaming down his face as he yanked at the handle repeatedly. Grandpa had grabbed him by the wrist, saying he’d be staying with them from now on because his father wasn’t capable of doing so. The teen had been horrified, trying to go back inside only to be locked in the car while Howard went back in to get his things.

“No no,” It hurt to breathe as his chest spasmed at uneven breaths, hand coming back to the handle and yanking hard, “Let me out, let me out,”  The car felt smaller and smaller with every passing second and his claustrophobia was tearing him apart. Teary eyes landing on the steering wheel before his gaze lowered to the compartment beneath.

Jumping over the seat, Peter hit the compartment until it broke open and his left hand was bruised and a little swollen, making his grandpa’s finger marks on his wrist look even worse but the boy didn’t care.

Arms moving forward and ripping at the wires until the car honked endlessly, lights flickering but Peter managed to pull the locks up and open the door. Falling out onto the gravel before rising to his feet, pain shooting up his arm as he ran towards the house. He needed his father, he needed him to make everything okay. When Peter got inside he could already hear the shouting, he knew how his father felt about Grandpa. Knew he’d have never allowed the man to take him away.

Those facts also forcing him to realize his Grandpa technically just tried to kidnap him, this made him scramble into the room and straight into his father’s arms. He sobbed into the dark fabric of his father’s suit, arms winding tightly around his waist as he felt armored hands latch onto the back of his neck and head and wind around his middle to keep him still and safe.

“Get out,” he felt his father growl more than he heard it, and slow footfalls complied. After what may have been a couple of minutes of silence and just basking in one another’s presence, Tony’s still armored hand fell from the back of his neck to cup his face.

“Where were you baby?” Tony cried, and Peter couldn’t believe the tears freely falling from his father’s eyes. But he joined those tears, grateful for the red fingers wiping away his own. But Peter couldn’t offer anymore comfort, his hand aching and the hug left him tied to his father’s chest.

“He locked me in the car,” The teen admitted, trying to press his face back under his chin yet Tony didn’t let him. The anger he saw in the man’s eyes at that statement was terrifying, the older man looked away. Malice radiating around him, Peter was sure if he wasn’t holding onto him he’d have gone after Howard.

“Are you okay?” The question was tight, and Peter found their eyes meeting once again. 

“My arm,” the boy whispered, the man going still as Peter separated them and placed his hand in his father’s gentle ones. The armor falling away, as Tony inspected the appendage.

Peter hadn’t expected his father’s voice to be soft especially when he could tell he was seething, “C’mon sweetheart, let’s get this fixed up. Okay?”

“Okay,” 


End file.
